Dog left with deep puncture wounds in alleged off-leash attack in Burnaby
Editor’s note: This story contains graphic images of an injured dog that some readers may find disturbing.
A mother and daughter are speaking out after their dog was left seriously injured in an alleged attack at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby this week.
Jimi the Shih Tzu-Pomeranian mix was out for a walk with owner Vivian Wen on December 12 when an off-leash Rottweiler approached them. In an interview with Daily Hive, Wen’s daughter Michelle Sit said the larger dog grabbed Jimi in its jaws.
“You know when dogs bite on a toy they will shake their head? That’s like what happened to Jimi,” she said. “He was, like, in the air.”
The dogs eventually separated, with the Rottweiler dropping Jimi. But after the altercation, Wen said the four men walking with the large dog allegedly refused to give her their ID or phone numbers for a report to the BC SPCA. They also allegedly declined to go with Wen to the animal hospital.
“They said they don’t have their ID, and I think that’s what scared them… The owner said ‘You guys are wasting my time’ and they took the dog and walked away,” Sit said.
The vet told the family Jimi was lucky to be alive — if the larger dog had bit any higher near Jimi’s neck he may not have made it. There were three deep puncture wounds on his side and other lacerations. He’s been stitched up and is recovering at home.
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Wen’s hand was also bitten in the dog attack, but she hasn’t been to the hospital yet — getting Jimi care has been her priority.
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The two women tried to report the incident to the Burnaby RCMP, but say officers redirected them to the SPCA. They apparently couldn’t help much because Wen’s hand injury was minor. The mother and daughter didn’t receive a file number, and a Burnaby RCMP media relations officer said the incident hasn’t been reported to them.
Wen and Sit have also filed a report with the SPCA. Daily Hive has reached out to that organization for comment but has not yet heard back.
Now, the family is speaking out hoping to identify the owner of the large dog.
“I really hope to find this group of men, especially the dog owner, and maybe have him realize this mistake and how it was very irresponsible for him to let his dog off-leash there,” Sit said.
She asks anyone with knowledge of the incident to email her at [email protected].
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